After he had finished saying this the fox stretched out his tail again, and the king’s son sat him down upon it; then away they went over stock and stone, so that the wind whistled through their hair.  And when the king’s son reached the castle he found everything as the fox had said; and he at last entered the room where the golden bird was hanging in a wooden cage, while a golden one was standing by; the three golden apples, too, were in the room.  Then, thinking it foolish to let the beautiful bird stay in that mean and ugly cage, he opened the door of it, took hold of it and put it in the golden one.  In the same moment the bird uttered a piercing cry.  The soldiers awaked, rushed in, seized the king’s son and put him in prison.  The next morning he was brought before a judge, and, as he confessed everything, condemned to death.  But the king said that he would spare his life on one condition, that he should bring him the golden horse whose paces were swifter than the wind, and that then he should also receive the golden bird as a reward.

So the king’s son set off to find the golden horse, but he sighed and was very sad, for how should it be accomplished?  And then he saw his old friend, the fox, sitting by the roadside.

“Now, you see,” said the fox, “all this has happened because you would not listen to me.  But be of good courage, I will bring you through, and will tell you how to get the golden horse.  You must go straight on until you come to a castle, where the horse stands in his stable; before the stable-door the grooms will be lying, but they will all be asleep and snoring, and you can go and quietly lead out the horse.  But one thing you must mind—­take care to put upon him the plain saddle of wood and leather, and not the golden one, which will hang close by, otherwise it will go badly with you.”

Then the fox stretched out his tail and the king’s son seated himself upon it, and away they went over stock and stone until the wind whistled through their hair.  And everything happened just as the fox had said, and he came to the stall where the golden horse was, and as he was about to put on him the plain saddle he thought to himself: 

“Such a beautiful animal would be disgraced were I not to put on him the good saddle, which becomes him so well.”

However, no sooner did the horse feel the golden saddle touch him than he began to neigh.  And the grooms all awoke, seized the king’s son and threw him into prison.  The next morning he was delivered up to justice and condemned to death, but the king promised him his life, and also to bestow upon him the golden horse if he could convey thither the beautiful princess of the golden castle.

With a heavy heart the king’s son set out, but by great good luck he soon met with the faithful fox.

“I ought now to leave you to your own fate,” said the fox, “but I am sorry for you, and will once more help you in your need.  Your way lies straight up to the golden castle.  You will arrive there in the evening, and at night, when all is quiet, the beautiful princess goes to the bath.  And as she is entering the bathing-house go up to her and give her a kiss, then she will follow you and you can lead her away; but do not suffer her first to go and take leave of her parents, or it will go ill with you.”